"I have always found the skirt an intriguing garment. On a man, it is more than an item of clothing, it is a statement. I try to use the skirt in a 'natural' way, not in a transgendered way. When it is properly balanced, a skirt is without gender. If only society was not so conditioned, then a skirt would be an essential item of a man's wardrobe".

Walter van Beirendonck, 2002

Futuristic Ensemble
Sheepskin jacket, cotton skirt, lycra body-stocking, PVC and felt visor
Belgian, Walter can Beirendonck
Autumn/ Winter 1999-2000 'No References' collection

Since the late 1980's, Walter van Beirendonck has experimented with a variety of skirted garments. As well as minis, he has produced midis and maxis in plain and pleated styles.

Just as certain designers have looked to the past to find inspiration for their skirts for men, others have looked to the future. In particular, they have drawn on the repertoire of clothing styles from comic books and science fiction films.
These clothing styles, while appearing fantastical and hyper-modern, are often an amalgamation of historical, cultural and sub-cultural styles.

Present-day designers producing "futuristic" skirted garments have often looked to the work of designers active in the 1960s, particularly Pierre Cardin and Rudi Gernreich. Cardin and Gernreich proposed an androgynous appearance as the future of fashion. In 1970, Gernreich predicted that the traditional apparel symbols of masculinity and feminity would become obsolete stating:

"Clothing will not be identified as either male or female … women and men will wear skirts interchangeably."
To emphasise his point, he produced a range of unisex clothes that were intended to be functional and devoid of gender symbolism.